The Ashes 2023

Mitchell Starc’s dismissal of Ben Stokes in fifth Test of Ashes 2023 reminds audience of 2019 World Cup dismissal

Ben Stokes is one of the most competitive cricketers in the world at the moment. In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Ben Stokes was at his absolute best. The Southpaw scored 465 runs in 11 matches in the tournament at an incredible average of 66. Likewise, Mitchell Starc was also great in the 2019 ODI World Cup. The left-arm pacer was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.  

In the match between England and Australia in the tournament, Mitchell Starc bowled a spectacular delivery to get rid of Ben Stokes. The tall pacer bowled an inswinging yorker to Stokes. The All-rounder had no answer to the delivery. The ball tended to go away from the batter. But the swing was so good, and the delivery was so accurate that the ball swung right towards the batter and hit the off stump.  

The batter had no answer to the delivery. The viewers were stunned and appreciated the delivery of the bowler. It was such a wonderful delivery that a batter of Stokes’ class was left wondering how he could play it. The delivery was so memorable and rated as one of the moments of the tournament.   

A repeat of 2019 in 2023

In Ashes 2023, Starc has yet again produced a magical delivery to get rid of Ben Stokes. While an inswinging yorker saw the downfall of Stokes in 2019, it is the outswinger this time which saw the magic from Starc. The dismissal was the ninth instance where the Australian pacer dismissed the English captain in the longest format of the game.  

Starc found his length right and aimed at the stumps. From a good length, the ball swung just slightly away from the left-handed batter. Stokes probably played for the leg-middle stump line, which was expected if not for the swing. But the ball swung just enough to hit the top of the off stump. Stokes was left stunned by the delivery of Starc, which was very similar to his reaction in the 2019 match. It took the audience back to 2019.